


Pride

by Yutas_Healing_Smile



Category: K-pop, NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, Boyfriends, Boys In Love, Communication, Crying, Cute, Dancer Lee Taeyong, Declarations Of Love, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gay Pride, Gay Rights, Happy, Internal Conflict, Internalized Homophobia, Johnyong, Kissing, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, LGBTQ+ Community, M/M, Non-Canon Relationship, One Shot, Pansexual Character, Pride, Pride Parades, Short One Shot, Some Plot, Sweet, Writer's Block, needed a cute prompt to motivate me, sad that pride parades have been cancelled, teeny bit of internal conflict
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:01:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25000567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yutas_Healing_Smile/pseuds/Yutas_Healing_Smile
Summary: Johnny and Taeyong celebrate their first Pride together.
Relationships: Lee Taeyong/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	Pride

**Author's Note:**

> I've been incredibly unmotivated to write these last few months despite having so much free time on my hands (and dozens of plot ideas swirling through my head), so I thought this would be a cute prompt to write to get me motivated. This year would've been my first Pride, so to celebrate our community even if we can't celebrate it in person, I thought this would be a cute way to close out Pride Month! If you enjoy this, please check out my primary Wattpad account (@Yutas_Healing_Smile), where I have a lot more content!

Glimmering light pierces through the slats of the blinds as if a deity enrobed in gold were descending from the Heavens, beckoning for the tenants of the quaint apartment to wake from their sleep (though neither were keen on the concept of a god). While one already heeded the call of the morning sun, Johnny, still wrapped up in the warm covers, groans as the rays of light penetrate past his eyelids. Shuffling around under the blanket, he throws his arm over to his left, expecting to feel the warmth of his partner to sidle into, even if only for a few more minutes before he had to get ready for the day. 

It was one of the things he most looked forward to every morning since moving to the small flat: waking up, only to see Taeyong, more often than not, staring right back at him, sheer adoration in each other's eyes. Only today, as he palmed around the bed, he came to realize that Taeyong had already gotten up, only an imprint of his body in the memory foam mattress. To that, Johnny could only groan more. He truly hated getting out of bed.

Stumbling out of bed towards the bedroom door, eyes half-closed in exhaustion, his hand stops on the knob and he breaks out into a smile, hearing Taeyong in the kitchen, his feet tapping a quick rhythm. He's singing cheerily, and while he's not the most technically proficient, his voice is the most beautiful thing to Johnny, causing him to stop at any given moment to hear his boyfriend's clear, rich tone ring through the room. 

Johnny tip-toes softly, a sweet scent hitting his nostrils like a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers as he walks towards their modest kitchen. The pan is sizzling and Taeyong is looking as cute as ever, dressed in an oversized t-shirt and sweats, dancing and singing softly to himself as he scurries about the kitchen. 

While the pair are usually in a good mood, the sheer exhilaration of being young and in love energizing them from day-to-day, today's events are more than special. Ever since they became official, since the day that they promised each other that their love was the future for them, Taeyong and Johnny looked forward to the day they'd be able to express their queerness and to be in a space where love like theirs was accepted unconditionally. It was Pride, and the couple's first experience to surround themselves with people who understood them and celebrate their identities.

Sliding up to Taeyong, Johnny softly hugs the shorter man from the back, resting his chin on his partner's shoulder, pressing soft kisses to his neck. Taeyong grins, his crescent-eyes peeking through his parted golden bangs like a sliver of the moon, melting into Johnny's touch as he rubs circles into his waist.

"Good morning, Tae," Johnny hums out softly while Taeyong reaches a hand backward to card through the taller's caramel-colored locks. Johnny softens at the delicate gesture.

"Good morning," Taeyong exclaims, "I know you tried to sneak up on me with that back hug, but I could hear you from a mile away, darling. Nice try, but you sound like an elephant clomping around when you wake up." 

Johnny just giggles endearingly as Taeyong turns around in his embrace, threading his arms around the taller's neck as Johnny combs his blonde locks out of his face, pressing feather-light kisses over every inch of peachy skin.

"Anyway, what's with the feast for breakfast? You know that it's my week to cook for us," Johnny teases lightheartedly, swaying side-to-side with Taeyong as their noses rub together, "I guess that I'm just going to have to make breakfast for you next week." Before the caramel-haired man can plant a kiss on Taeyong's pretty lips, the lithe man has already slipped out of his embrace. Taeyong turns his attention back to the stove, quickly plating a delicious stack of pancakes, presumably for the couple to share.

Taeyong inhales excitedly, pressing a kiss to Johnny's cheek apologetically as he brings the mouth-watering stack of pancakes to their two-person dining table, "I know, I know, but I was just too anxious--in a good way--this morning. I've been up for the last two hours pacing around and putting together my outfit for the parade, and I figured that I might as well cook before you got up. Plus, I'm sure you're not upset that I made some blueberry pancakes for us, so let's eat, love."

Johnny sets the table for them, setting down their cloth napkins and new silverware. Taeyong raises his eyebrow with a small smile as if asking the occasion for the extravagant breakfast, the gentle giant of a man answering with a shrug, "I think our first Pride, not just as a couple, but as individuals, is enough of an occasion to bring out our nice silverware. Today's going to be amazing, Yongie." 

Before sitting down into their creaky, hand-me-down seating donated by Taeyong's parents, Johnny doesn't forget to give Taeyong the kiss he meant to, pausing for a second as their lips connect, melding together like glass being welded. They both smile into the prolonged kiss, sparks flying just as passionately as they did the first time, and Johnny's heart races, feeling so incredibly in love with Taeyong. He seemingly manages to fall more in love with every day passed that he lived alongside the blonde.

"It really will be amazing," Taeyong emphatically agrees, talking between bites of pancake, his already big eyes widened with an almost child-like sense of celebration, and Johnny couldn't help but coo. Taeyong's happiness and excitement immediately became Johnny's as well, and the brunette could only assume that was what love did to a person. After all, he had only 'dated around,' but the blonde was the first man he truly fell for, "I've wanted to go for years, especially when I wasn't out because it seemed like such a utopia. Pride was a place where I could be celebrated for a part of me that I despised for so long, but it didn't seem like a possibility until I met you, Johnny. Not to mention, neither of us knew any queer people personally until we met each other and gave each other the confidence to make connections, but here we are now." 

"Here we are now," Johnny repeats quietly, but proudly, entranced so greatly by Taeyong, "I'm just glad that I get to experience it with you, Yong, and not just as a friend, but as the love of my life. I know that Pride is going to be such an amazing event, but I can't help but be a little nervous because I've never experienced anything like this. But Taeyong, I wouldn't have wanted to do this with anyone else but you."

Taeyong smiles and holds his lover's hand delicately, sensing Johnny's underlying anxiety as he rubs his thumb up and over the dips of his knuckles. To Johnny, the simple gesture meant everything; he knows that Taeyong understands his irrational struggle, his journey to becoming a somewhat proud pansexual man from the teen who struggled with extreme internalized homophobia. 

Both struggled with their identities as teens, but Johnny's pain drove so much deeper, and it's taken years for Taeyong to help Johnny dismantle, as it was buried so deep, intertwined so intricately with his being, and felt as permanent and visible as a tattoo on bare, exposed skin. It took so much strength for Johnny to even begin to embrace his queerness and to accept his love for Taeyong; it was a product of years of self-discovery and exploration with Taeyong by his side to guide him.

"And I wouldn't have wanted to do this with anyone but you, Johnny," Taeyong whispers, endearingly, his sparkling cocoa eyes meeting Johnny's with humility and love, "I know you're a little worried because your parents don't know yet and we're still figuring things out together, but I'll be with you throughout everything."

"Thank you, Yong. For this breakfast, for today, for giving me happiness, for loving me when I felt unloveable. For everything. I'm a little nervous, and you know that, but I'm still so excited. I'm confident when I'm with you, and you're all I need," Johnny squeezes Taeyong's hand back, pressing ticklish kisses to his supple skin as Taeyong blushes a dusty rose, soon interlocking their fingers.

"I love you so much, Johnny," Taeyong replies breathlessly, entranced by the man sitting across from him, before blushing even more and shooing Johnny away to clean up the table and get ready before the brunette could spew out any sappy compliments. 

~~~

Anticipation builds up in Taeyong like boiling water, threatening to spill over at any time. The excitement is unreal, and he rarely gets to freely express himself without boundaries or making sure he looks 'presentable.' He's dreamed about this for so long, being able to march alongside like-minded people within his community, to be openly proud of himself, and to be able to hold his boyfriend's hand in public without shame, surrounded only by love. It's a transformative day for the blonde, and he can only be filled with sheer elation. 

Swiping up his pre-planned outfit from his closet, Taeyong scurries excitedly to his bathroom to get dressed, practicing the footwork for his newest routine at the studio with a spring in his step that could only be explained by his pure, unadulterated joy. Once dressed and his makeup applied, the blonde smiles into the mirror, feeling pretty, the reflection being a genuine representation of himself. The Taeyong in the mirror was the man he wanted to see whenever he looked at himself, whether in the blandest sweats or dressed in a stiff, plain suit for formal events.

Taeyong tears up slightly, his crystalline tears threatening to roll down his blushed cheeks, but he doesn't want to ruin his makeup.

Has this been what's he's missed in his life for so long? Was it worth conforming to what was expected if it meant that he'd be this happy looking at himself in the mirror? The blonde had never been particularly self-deprecating about his looks, having been told all his life how pretty he was (although Taeyong preferred 'handsome' back when he was a self-loathing teen, thinking his femininity was a curse until Johnny came into his life and embraced all of him without hesitancy), but he'd never felt this beautiful until seeing himself now. This added confidence seemed to give his skin a newfound glow.

With steps as quick and light as a sandpiper dashing along a shoreline, the blonde makes his way to the kitchen, humming and dancing along as a way of habit. It was almost automatic; no matter the feeling encapsulating his body, be it joy or sorrow, his body instinctively began to move, to tell his story through movement, and it was enchanting. Luckily, the feeling happened to be joy, with Taeyong spinning and sashaying with the grace of a swan parting a glistening lake, only to pause suddenly.

Meeting a pair of familiar, arresting eyes, he immediately flushes a deep rose, not out of embarrassment, but rather appreciation. There was Johnny, handsome as ever, and just as the brunette repeated to him daily, so in love with Taeyong, falling further and further, past the limits of merely the heart. This was a daily occurrence--Johnny silently admiring Taeyong's spontaneous dancing, captured by the lithe man's graceful, fluid movements--but today, it seemed more.

He's awestruck, taken by his lover's presence, and Taeyong's aura just radiated so many new colors, filling up the room with a fog of captivation. His amplified confidence was a deep rouge like the velvet robes of a royal and his joy a deep amber, bright like the sun, yet rich like saccharine honey. 

Johnny always saw Taeyong as the most beautiful person in not just his world, but the whole world, and it only amplified the moment he laid eyes on him today. Confidence was an enchanting look on his already ravishing self.

Taeyong's clothed in a vibrant halter top that cropped at his toned belly, flared satin pants, and painted with pride colors over his arms, his blonde locks parted and arranged softly. His face is a work of art, with or without makeup, but his dark eyes accentuated with bright eyeshadow, shimmering highlight lining his defined cheeks, and glittered face dusted like powdery snow, he's otherworldly.

"You look incredible, Yong," Johnny exclaims, breathless, and Taeyong's body lights up like a match, instantaneous warmth filling his body. His eyes are clearly fixed on Taeyong, yet his gaze, fogged over in beguilement, seemed present and disassociated simultaneously. With caution in his step, he gently approaches Taeyong with his stare still fixed on him in astonishment. 

Sliding his hand delicately in between the defined junction of the blonde's jaw and neck, the taller dips down, their soft lips pressing together and eyelids closing shut. Taeyong melts into the feeling like pliable wax warmed over a hot flame in his partner's hold, allowing Johnny's lips to work softly against his.

Slowly pulling away, Taeyong's eyelids flutter open dreamily, taking the time to look at Johnny. The blonde grazes his hand down his boyfriend's torso, taking how handsome he looked in his tank top and ripped jeans, a rainbow stripe printed across the middle of the garment. 

"You look stunning as well, honey," Taeyong remarks in awe, adding as he hooks an arm around the brunette's neck, "Always so damn handsome."

Johnny chuckles heartily, his face brightening up and his eye down-turning into beautiful crescents as he plants a chaste kiss to his cheek, "Thank you."

They rest in peaceful silence for a few moments, Taeyong quietly examining the curves and contours of Johnny's striking features, imagining how beautiful he'd look with even a simple makeup application. His eyes trace his angular face structure, strong and masculine, but his soft features--his pretty eyes and thick lips--go far from unnoticed.

"Would you like me to do a little bit of make-up for you, Johnny? It'll be simple, but I just think you'll look so pretty with a peachy lip look and maybe some subtle eyeshadow. It's Pride, after all, and you're free to be as experimental and bold as you want."

Johnny only laughs, except it's an awkward sort of sound, guttural and nervous, and it's directed at Taeyong. Suddenly, Taeyong wishes he hadn't made the proposition, knowing how sensitive Johnny gets about these issues; It was a feat for Johnny to even have reached a healthy mindset and built up enough confidence in himself to go to Pride.

While a few years passed since he'd developed a healthy relationship with his sexuality and started a committed relationship with Taeyong, he still felt somewhat removed from the community. It was the remnants of his internalized conflict, accepting that he was pansexual yet not quite wanting to associate himself with the community and culture--as if not wanting to express his feminity, his queerness, and his true pride. Taeyong understood Johnny too well; it was a real process to guide him through his demons, woes, and flawed mentality, but he swore to himself he'd be there for Johnny through it all.

"Thank you for offering, baby, but you know that's not really my thing," Johnny says lightly while Taeyong raises an eyebrow questioningly. The brunette immediately senses Taeyong's lack of amusement, and in a quick attempt to lighten the mood, he jokes, "I don't think you'd want that though, because you wouldn't be able to handle my blinding beauty. I'd be prettier than you."

"Johnny," Taeyong starts sternly, his arms crossed over his chest, "let's not joke right now, and you know exactly what I'm about to tell you."

"Okay, Taeyong," Johnny concedes, reaching out to take one of Taeyong's hands. The blonde hesitates, but exhales deeply and lets him hold his hand. He only wants to help Johnny, after all, "I'm sorry, baby."

"Don't apologize, I know this is hard for you, and you know I'm here for you, love," Taeyong reminds him earnestly, their sincere gazes meeting each other, "Look, there's no problem if you truly just don't like the idea of makeup or dressing all femininely like me, but I know the problem runs deeper than that. Talk to me, Johnny. Today's is going to be a great day--we just need to get over this small bump--and I'm here to help."

"Tae, I know my logic is all wrong, but it's like I can't shake the feeling inside of me. I don't know--I suppose I feel like I just don't want to be perceived a certain way. I don't want to 'look gay,' even though I'm beginning to truly feel proud of myself and I've always been proud of being your boyfriend," Johnny admits shamefully, disgust drawn on his face. Taeyong only looks sadly at him, but he understands. It's difficult to undo years of self-loathing, "And don't get me wrong, Yong, I know how messed up that logic is, and I'd never talk that way or use that logic on anyone else. Anyone else, except me, that is."

Taeyong can only stroke his cheek softly and hug him tight, trying to encapsulate the taller man in his warmth and love. "It's okay, Johnny. It makes me sad that you think of yourself that way, but I understand that the problem runs so much deeper. Undoing your shame isn't an easy task, but I'm so proud of how far you've come since we first met. I just wish you'd look at yourself the way I see you--so vibrant, beautiful, and confident--and love and praise yourself as much as you love and praise me."

"I wish that too," Johnny answers solemnly, laying his own hand over Taeyong's, "but I know I'm getting there."

"You definitely are, and you should be proud, Johnny. Understanding where your flaws and problems are is the first step towards fixing them and healing," Taeyong reassures him with a sincere, closed-lipped smile, hearts still lighting up in his chocolate-like irises, "Why don't we take some small steps today?"

"Sounds like a good idea," Johnny remarks, his deep tone brightening a bit as he brings Taeyong's knuckles to his lips, kissing softly, "Thank you, Taeyong."

"You're very welcome, love," Taeyong quips happily, cheerily arranging the brunette's long locks, brushing his bangs out of his face as he gets his various body paints, deciding to paint a small pansexual flag on his cheek. The design was subtle in appearance compared to the rest of the extravagance of Pride, but it was an explicit statement about Johnny's identity to the world. It was a huge step for the brunette, no matter how small the action seemed. 

"Today is the perfect opportunity to take that first step. Pride is all about acceptance, expression, and love. Everyone will appreciate you no matter how you present yourself, and they'll be celebrating people like us and the love we share. It's going to be so special, Johnny. God, you're so special," Taeyong adds, carefully painting the pink, yellow, and blue stripes as Johnny rests his hands gently on the blonde's hips, mindlessly tracing patterns into the dancer's skin.

A tear slips down Johnny's cheeks, pure admiration shining in the stars of Johnny's eyes as he watches his boyfriend at work, his smile extending from ear-to-ear. Taeyong swoons while wiping the stray tear with the soft pad of his thumb before it smudges the wet paint; in his eyes, Johnny is the personification of the sun. 

"I love you so much," Johnny reminds him endearingly.

"And I love you so much."

~~~

Pride was a dream come true; a utopia of happiness and love in a world that refused to love people like them. Johnny was stunned when they first arrived and Taeyong could only be giddy with happiness, kissing the brunette endlessly as he broke down into tears of joy, so captured with the festivities and joy. They sang, danced (or Taeyong did, while Johnny watched proudly, not ceasing to remind onlookers that the incredible dancer was his boyfriend), and chanted under the clear sky, and while it was a shock for the couple, they soon adjusted and embraced the beauty of the experience. 

Johnny finally opened up, meeting new people and immersing himself in a community that he had restricted himself from being apart of. Taeyong watched with pride in his eyes, the endless rainbow flags reflecting in his irises, Johnny's happiness becoming his own.

The day wastes away as quick as a daydream during class, and while neither of the men wanted the festivities to end and to have to leave the vibrant, colorful microcosm of a utopia and an ideal world, the end was inevitable for the day.

"It's okay, Taeyong. Don't be sad, honey," Johnny tells him softly, awe still illuminating his gaze. The couple walks hand-in-hand, without the fear and hesitation they used to hold in public, Johnny's thumbs rubbing the backside of his hand in comfort, "Yes, we'll have to wait another year to experience this again, but if I've learned anything today from you and these incredible people here, it's that Pride doesn't end here. We have a community now, Yong, people who we can truly rely on, who can uplift us, who validate us, who let us love freely. It's no longer just us against the world in this journey."

They pause, turning to each other, their bodies stopping as the world around them continues to move, dance, and celebrate. The sky is a beautiful blue. Vibrancy, color, and life surround them like an embrace of protection and assurance. The world is alive and happy, the music of a collective of voices filling their ears, and everything is perfect.

"Taeyong, my love, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You're the reason I'm the man I am today," Johnny whispers, both of their hands clasped together, never to let go.

"The same goes for you, Johnny. I wouldn't want to spend my life with anyone but you by my side. I would've never found this world without you," Taeyong answers, and while the world around them is absolutely beautiful, the pair only see each other.

They kiss, surrounded by love, and full of pride.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this cute little story! If you did, please consider leaving kudos, and please comment! Your feedback and commentary mean everything to me, as a writer. Again, if you want to read more content, I have a couple of other one-shots written and consider checking out my Wattpad (@Yutas_Healing_Smile), as I have a few full-length books out (admittedly, they're pretty old). Remember, even though Pride Month is closing out, that doesn't mean that we should stop celebrating our lives, stories, and experiences! 
> 
> Love you all, and hopefully see you soon!<3


End file.
